First off, a big thank you to Katie Erica from Tripbase Blog for asking me to contribute to her list of best kept travel secrets from some of the most famous travel bloggers in the industry today.
Here’s how Tripbase Blog Tag works:
Been somewhere amazing you’d never even heard of? You want to let your buddies in on the secret, right? Read on for my top travel gems!
What’s interesting about travel is that the places / hotels / restaurants that everyone agrees are fantastic, are often not so fantastic.
And even if they are, it can all be a bit predictable.
Now what’s really fun is when you find somewhere obscure that is truly out of this world.
You can’t believe your luck to have stumbled across this travel gem. How could you not have heard of this place before?
You want to shout it from the rooftops.
So here they are… My Several Worlds’ Best Kept Travel Secrets
STAY AT
1. Nefatari Villas, Ubud, Bali
Image Source: Nefatari Exclusive Villas
Imagine staying in a private villa set amongst lush green rice paddies deep in the heart of Bali. Nefatari Villas has a small but extremely efficient set of staff on hand, and they made our time there unforgettable. Our breakfast was served to us on our private outdoor terrace each morning, our private plunge pool was cleaned and swept each day, and they provided us with a car service that was available on demand. The icing on the cake though, was the special meal they put together for us when they learned that John was going to propose to me. They turned the outdoor courtyard into a private outdoor restaurant for us complete with a fountain and small pool full of scented candles and fresh flower petals floating in the water, a beautiful cloth gazebo laced with fresh orchids, romantic music, and a homemade Balinese meal served by candlelight. It was the most romantic night of our lives!
3 reasons to stay at Nefatari Villas:
- - Your own private plunge pool and sun terrace
- - Traditional home-cooked Balinese meals delivered right to your door
- - Relax in complete and utter isolation
VISIT
2. Wulai, Taiwan
Famous for its natural hot springs and aboriginal culture, any visitor will love a day or two in the aboriginal village of Wulai. It has everything you could possibly want for a fun day outdoors, including stunning mountain scenery, hiking trails, and a waterfall. There are plenty of hotels, spas, and hot spring resorts in town, but why pay when you can experience it for free? Down by the river, visitors can enjoy open air bathing in a natural hot spring . Cool off with a relaxing swim in the river afterwards.
3 reasons to go to Wulai
- - The gorgeous mountain scenery
- - Natural outdoor hot spring baths
- - Learn about traditional Aboriginal culture in Taiwan
EAT
3. Department Store food courts throughout Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Korea, and Singapore
Department Store Food Court, Japan
We just love department store food courts in Asia. They’re absolutely nothing like boring old North American food courts. There’s always an enormous range of food to choose from, and it all comes at very reasonable prices.
3 reasons to eat at Asian food courts
- - Mix and match your meals
- - Free food samples
- - Fresh, tasty, and cheap
I nominate these five bloggers to share three of their best kept travel secrets on their blog.
- Kathryn and Daniel, Two Go Round the World
- Jen, Folie a Deux
- Joshua, Snarky Tofu
- Sonya, Traveling Greener
- Angela, Travel Calling
Stay tuned for a final list of Top Bloggers’ Best Kept Travel Secrets, which will be shared as a special post on Tripbase Blog.
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Here is my travel secret for Japan.
Many supermarkets discount their sushi and other fresh food in the hour before closing. If you want some cheap, high quality food go at the end of the day. You can often get 50% discounts, so it is possible to find complete meals for $2 or $3 and they are only a few hours old.
John Bardos – JetSetCitizen´s last blog ..Interview with Traveling Nomad, DeeAnne White
Hi John,
Great advice. Actually, this is one of my money saving tips for budget travel in Japan. My husband and I took advantage of cheap meals from the supermarket and convenience stores and saved a bundle.
Great list Carrie! I especially like the Nefatari Villas. It sounds like such an amazing place. Maybe someday I’ll drag myself over that way and pay them a visit. I’ll be sure to tell them Carrie sent me
Graham´s last blog ..When You’re Feeling Homesick
Hi Graham,
Thank you! Make sure you take a pretty girl along with you though.
And ask for Made when you get there. He’s amazing!
Great secrets Carrie! Bali is now high top of the list for my next trip!!
Katie, Tripbase´s last blog ..My 3 Best Kept Travel Secrets
Thanks Katie. And thanks for including me too. I can’t wait to see what the finished results!
Great secrets! Thanks for the suggestion about Bali. I’ll hopefully be making me way over there in March and I’ll definitely have to check out Nefatari.
One of my secrets? Some of the best beaches are in North Carolina, especially Wrightsville and Sunset Beach.
Nancy´s last blog ..Book Review: Blood Done Sign My Name
Hi Nancy. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I’m sure you’ll enjoy your travels in Bali. We rented a motorbike and spent several days driving around the island. It was a great trip. Thanks as well for your travel tip about North Carolina!
I love these little tips, they are great for first time travellers to include into their itinerarl. I have never been to a natural hot spring before I would love to.
Thanks Johnny. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Fantastic travel gems. Nefatari Villas sounds lovely! And, whenever I make it to Asia, I won’t leave before having checked out those department store food courts. I hope they have vegetarian sushi!
Erica Johansson´s last blog ..Music That Makes Me Happy: Moving On
Erica,
I hope you’re planning on spending some time in Taiwan. I promise to take you on a foodie tour sent from heaven! ;P
Great secrets and pictures, Carrie! I too love foreign supermarkets and shopping centres…it’s a great way to see what the locals eat and how they live. And the hot springs look great! Cheers.
Thanks Nora. We’re waiting for the weather to cool down a bit more before we head back to the hot springs. John and I are wusses when it comes to dealing with hot water – we both prefer hitting the hot springs during the winter rather than sweating it out during the heat of the summer.
[...] travel secrets from some of the most famous travel bloggers in the industry today. Carrie of My Several Worlds kindly nominated traveling greener to contribute to this eclectic collection of places, hotels and [...]
Phew! Ours is coming, Carrie. So slow. So slow!
Daniel´s last blog ..Is travel self-indulgent?
No worries! The important thing is that you are doing what you love. It takes forever for me to blog while I’m on the road. I’m too busy out there enjoying life!
Thanks for sharing Carrie, I miss the Asian food markets.
If anyone travels to St John’s, Newfoundland, there is a artisian-farmers market located near the center of the city, open every weekend, with local artists, crafters and farmers. The best breakfasts, smoothies and coffee to be found.
Great tips Michelle! Thanks for sharing. I’ll be sure to look you up when I’m headed your way.